Set aside time each day to review what you have learned so far in your nursing theory classes, even if you only have a few minutes available. Nursing theory is a part of nursing that builds upon itself like a set of building blocks. Each lesson previously learned must be mastered and retained in order to learn the upcoming lessons.
Follow the three minute rule. If you have a question and cannot find the answer in three minutes, ask your instructor for assistance. Getting questions answered tends to be more challenging for an online nursing student than a nursing student attending classes in person. This is because questions usually need to be asked by e-mail or telephone, which can require that the student wait for the instructor to get the e-mail or voice mail and answer the question. This adds to the amount of time it takes to get a question answered, and lessens the time available for the student to try to get the answer on his own.
Avoid procrastination. Though it is important for all nursing students to avoid procrastinating, it is especially important for online nursing students because of the amount of time it could take to receive clarification from an instructor about an assignment.
Apply concepts that you learn through your studies wherever possible, including in your work, volunteer experience, nursing lab, and clinical rotations. Applying the concepts learned about nursing theory will make them more relevant and will assist you in mastering them.